After work, they went to Yanlan Bay—dinner, chatting…
The routine was no different from before the holiday, yet for some reason, He Xiaoyuan felt that Lu Chen’s cooking tasted even better than before, their conversations more interesting, and even He He’s fur seemed smoother and softer than it had been pre-holiday.
In short, He Xiaoyuan had an extremely pleasant first evening back after the holiday, and time seemed to fly; in the blink of an eye, it was almost time to return to his apartment.
He lay back on the sofa, mentally whining: I don’t~ want~ to~ go~ back~ yet~.
But it was already past ten, quite late, and he had to work tomorrow. Rationality ultimately took over.
“I’m leaving.”
He patted He He one last time and got up from the sofa.
“Mm.”
Lu Chen didn’t get up, just watched him leave.
They were familiar enough now that he didn’t need to see He Xiaoyuan all the way to the elevator.
“Leaving, huh.”
The elevator doors opened as He Xiaoyuan stepped in, giving a final wave.
Lu Chen, still on the sofa, called out: “Okay, send me a message when you get home.”
“Got it.”
The elevator doors closed.
Lu Chen finally withdrew his gaze and picked up He He, who had curled up next to him.
Just a few moments later, the elevator doors opened again, and He Xiaoyuan half-stuck his head out.
Lu Chen looked up at the sound and saw He Xiaoyuan peering out with clear eyes, not yet leaving.
Thinking he might have dropped something, Lu Chen asked: “What’s up?”
He Xiaoyuan tilted his head: “Nothing, just looking at you.”
“Leaving now?”
He withdrew back into the elevator but quickly poked his head out again: “What are you doing?”
Lu Chen smiled: “Not leaving?”
He Xiaoyuan: “No rush.”
He pulled his head back, pretending to leave, then peeked out again, playfully.
Lu Chen already knew he hadn’t gone yet and stood up.
He Xiaoyuan blinked, standing at the elevator, observing him.
Lu Chen walked closer: “Don’t want to leave? Stay a bit longer.”
He Xiaoyuan pulled back again: “Really leaving this time.”
The elevator doors closed.
Seconds later, He Xiaoyuan peeked out again.
Lu Chen let out a soft hum of amusement—this little boy was rare in his playful stubbornness.
He Xiaoyuan didn’t know why he lingered; he just didn’t really want to leave.
Lu Chen reached him and said cheerfully: “Want me to play with the cat a little more?”
Since they lived so close, even leaving at eleven wasn’t too late.
But Lu Chen wrapped an arm around his shoulder and led him into the elevator: “Let’s go, I’ll see you home.”
He Xiaoyuan: “Your shoes?”
Slippers.
Lu Chen: “Not changing.”
And so, wearing slippers, Lu Chen actually walked He Xiaoyuan from Yanlan Bay back to his apartment.
Once inside, He Xiaoyuan opened the door, and Lu Chen, without hesitation, turned away naturally as usual: “Go get some sleep.”
He Xiaoyuan looked at his back and teased: “Not coming in for some tea?”
Lu Chen didn’t turn back, voice playful: “And then you send me back again later?”
He Xiaoyuan: “Not impossible.”
Lu Chen glanced at him, smiling.
He Xiaoyuan watched Lu Chen’s figure until it disappeared, and even then he lingered, wondering if Lu Chen would play the same peek-a-boo trick he had earlier.
Realizing he wouldn’t, He Xiaoyuan smiled, glanced down the hallway, and finally pushed the door closed behind him.
Leaning against the door, he thought back to the moment just now, and couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile, feeling exceptionally happy.
Entering the living room, he pulled out his phone and sent Lu Chen a message: “Lonely being alone?”
Lu Chen replied quickly: “Lonely? You come keep me company?”
He Xiaoyuan knew Lu Chen was teasing, but upon seeing the message, he didn’t hesitate—he immediately turned and ran back out the door…
The next morning at the office, Qin Chengfei noticed He Xiaoyuan again, absorbed in his phone rather than his computer.
Qin Chengfei raised an eyebrow but withdrew his gaze, thinking: Looks like the post-holiday syndrome will take a few more days to pass.
Xue Jinming’s voice came through: “Xiaoyuan, look at your computer.”
“Oh, okay.”
He Xiaoyuan finally put down his phone.
Xue Jinming had arranged a task for He Xiaoyuan—a challenging opportunity he couldn’t refuse: Although Sipu didn’t hold a year-end banquet, every department presented a report at the start of the year, publicly summarizing last year’s performance and expectations for the new year. Management could also ask questions, give suggestions, or even raise objections during the report.
The process was similar to a university defense.
Previously, the project team’s report was rotated among several bosses each year; this year it happened to be Xue Jinming’s turn.
He didn’t particularly care about the report and approached it with a just get it done attitude.
He was giving the opportunity to He Xiaoyuan partly because the latter had helped handle several difficult, tedious tasks in the past, and partly because Xue Jinming was busy and didn’t have the time.
Xue Jinming briefly explained the reporting situation to He Xiaoyuan and highlighted the points to pay attention to, then sent him the PPTs from previous years’ bosses as reference. And just like that, the “assignment” was handed down.
Xue Jinming encouraged He Xiaoyuan, noting that getting exposure in front of management was a rare opportunity, especially for a management trainee. Doing well would benefit his future promotions and career development.
But He Xiaoyuan’s main concern was that there was only one week left until the presentation.
He Xiaoyuan: ?
Isn’t that cutting it a bit close?
Xue Jinming: ?
One week isn’t enough? Of course it is. This kind of task is easy, practically routine.
He Xiaoyuan: …
Alright, Boss Xue.
After receiving the “assignment,” He Xiaoyuan started reviewing past PPTs for reference, browsing last year’s projects in the OA backend, and thinking about a framework for his report. This kept him away from chatting with Lu Chen on WeChat all morning—he was fully focused on his computer.
Qin Chengfei: Finally back to normal.
At lunch, Qin Chengfei casually asked, “Since Boss Xue decided to give you this task, it probably wasn’t a last-minute idea. He should have informed you earlier.”
He Xiaoyuan thought so too, but knew he couldn’t blame Xue Jinming, so he replied: “Pretty much. I was busy at the end of last year, so it had to wait until after the holiday.”
Qin Chengfei: “At least you could have done a little bit at home during the break.”
He Xiaoyuan shook his head, thinking of how he had spent the entire Spring Festival: “No time.”
Qin Chengfei raised his eyes: “Busy over the holiday? Doing what?”
He Xiaoyuan: “Resting, celebrating the Spring Festival.”
Qin Chengfei teased: “Even the workaholic takes a break?”
He Xiaoyuan said aloud: “Yes.”
But in his mind: Going to the zoo, horse riding, fireworks, wine and late-night snacks… all so fun.
Qin Chengfei asked again: “Got a plan for the report?”
He Xiaoyuan: “Still thinking.”
Qin Chengfei assumed naturally that He Xiaoyuan would start getting busy soon.
That evening, as usual, He Xiaoyuan left work right on the dot.
Qin Chengfei: ?
He Xiaoyuan pushed his chair back: “Leaving.”
Qin Chengfei: “Finished the report?”
He Xiaoyuan: “I’ll do it at home.”
Qin Chengfei didn’t think much and casually said: “Weren’t you usually staying late in the office?”
He Xiaoyuan replied: “I have a cat now. The cat’s clingy, can’t be without me.”
Qin Chengfei believed him: A cat?
As soon as He Xiaoyuan left the office, the remaining bosses started chatting again:
“What cat?”
“The one Xiaoyuan has. I saw his social media, seems like he really got one.”
“Isn’t it a Maine Coon? Looks like a lion.”
“Maine Coons are clingy. Big or not, they’re super affectionate.”
“Is it the cat being clingy? I think it’s him being clingy to the cat.”
…
Later, at Yanlan Bay, He Xiaoyuan stepped out of the elevator carrying his laptop.
Lu Chen, originally scrolling his phone, stood up as soon as he saw him. Seeing the laptop, he asked: “Didn’t finish work today?”
He Xiaoyuan, holding the cat in one arm and the laptop in the other, walked straight to the sofa: “Department report.”
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow: “You’re doing the project team’s report this year?”
He Xiaoyuan: “Yeah.”
Teasing: “The all-powerful project team boss doesn’t know?”
He set down the cat and laptop on the sofa.
After dinner, Lu Chen was in the kitchen. He Xiaoyuan placed the laptop at the dining table and got to work.
Lu Chen came out with a drink, stood by the table for a moment, saw He Xiaoyuan busy, and quietly moved to the sofa.
He Xiaoyuan seemed to have radar on his back. The moment Lu Chen moved, he glanced up, and when Lu Chen sat down on the sofa, He Xiaoyuan moved the laptop closer to sit next to him.
Lu Chen glanced at him but didn’t pay much attention, casually asking: “Got it?”
He Xiaoyuan sat cross-legged, laptop on his lap: “Not yet.”
Lu Chen knew he was being deliberately evasive and let out a quiet chuckle.
Soon, the room was silent. On one end of the long sofa, Lu Chen scrolled on his phone, while on the other, He Xiaoyuan worked intently.
At some point, He Xiaoyuan shifted his stiff neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lu Chen stroking the cat, which had been lying beside him. The long-haired Maine Coon purred, stood up, and snuggled into Lu Chen’s lap, rolling over affectionately, pressing its head, face, and chin against Lu Chen’s neck.
He Xiaoyuan thought: You little kitty really know how to act cute.
Seeing that Lu Chen was about to look over, He Xiaoyuan quickly returned his gaze to the screen, pretending to focus.
Not long after, still looking at the computer, He Xiaoyuan said aloud: “The department invests in various projects. ‘Input’ is easy to quantify, but ‘output’ is harder, especially for projects with long durations. For the report, ‘output’ should probably have some concrete numbers, right?”
Lu Chen turned his head.
He Xiaoyuan looked up too: “Right?”
Lu Chen leaned on the sofa, holding the phone with his right hand while stroking He He with his left: “You making a table?”
“Mm.”
He Xiaoyuan nodded.
Lu Chen put down the phone: “Let me see.”
He Xiaoyuan got up with the laptop, sat next to Lu Chen, and handed it over. At the same time, he scooped He He from Lu Chen’s lap.
He He: “Meow.”
He Xiaoyuan thought: Even the cutest little cat can’t get in the way of work.
He petted He He a few times before setting him down on the floor.
Lu Chen looked at the PPT on He Xiaoyuan’s laptop: “The tables and charts make the data more intuitive. But the project team doesn’t have KPI assessments…”
He Xiaoyuan leaned against the sofa, watching the screen and listening. He didn’t realize how close he and Lu Chen were sitting—almost arm to arm, intimate and close.
Lu Chen spoke, and at one moment glanced sideways at the boy beside him, his eyes quietly holding a depth that was hard to read.